If you like puzzles, it would be pretty odd if you’ve never run across a sudoku puzzle; it’s one of the most popular puzzles out there. But even if you are a sudoku fan, you might not know what the word sudoku actually means—or, for that matter, where these puzzles came from. (It’s not what you think!) Well, we have the answers to these puzzling …
If you haven’t visited a classroom in years, you might be surprised to discover surprising new approaches to education. Do you know what microlearning is? Does you child’s school favor personalized or experiential learning? Is asynchronous learning the same as distance education? Learning has come a long way since the days of reciting times tables in the brick school house or getting chalky hands while …
What’s in a name? Well, it depends on the name. There are thousands of common and popular names in English. Most have their own unique meanings, but a few have more meanings than others. That’s because they happen to overlap with common English words that are found in the dictionary. Take the name Trace, for example, which is commonly used as a boy’s name and …
Let’s say that your favorite movie is The Godfather. If you held a copy of it in your hand, would you use the word titled or entitled to say what the name of the movie is? Which word is correct? Are they both correct? In this article, we will break down the difference between titled and entitled, explain how they are typically used, and give …
Do the words avenge and revenge get you confused? Well, you can get even with them by learning what they mean! In this article, we will break down the difference between avenge and revenge, give tips on how to remember the difference, and provide examples of how we typically use both words in sentences. The word avenge is used as a verb to mean “to …
Every day, Americans from all around the country use Dictionary.com to look up words. One of the things that the lookup data shows is which words were looked up most by residents of each of the 50 states (and Washington, D.C.). As you might expect, many of these most-looked-up words are the same from place to place. (Spelling accommodate is hard no matter where you …
When Americans think of Canadian English, certain stereotypical Canadianisms found in pop culture might come to mind, such as the ubiquitous “eh” or the distinctly Canadian way of saying “about.” But there is so much more than that! Just like their counterparts in the United States, the people of the Great White North have a bunch of cool slang words for a whole range of …
Few days light up the US like Independence Day—literally, in the case of how many fireworks shows go on all over the country. The holiday also goes by various iterations of the date it takes place every year: July 4, July 4th, and the Fourth of July. Arguably the most patriotic of US holidays, Independence Day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on …
The words widow and widower are both used to describe a person who has remained unmarried after their spouse passes away. What do these two similar words mean, and why do we use two different words to mean almost the same thing? In this article, we will define widow and widower, explain where the word widower came from, and give a few alternatives that people …
A flag is a sign of community and belonging, and no flags are as eye-catching as the rainbow of banners representing Pride and all of its aspects and identities. The classic ROYGBV flag may be the most well-known, but it is not the only one that represents members of the LGBTQIA+ community. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most prominent Pride flags, their …
The longer, warm days of summer are finally here, and that probably means you’re spending plenty of time outside. Why not brush up on some new summer vocabulary to take with you on your next adventure? Summer is the perfect time to explore a hobby, like writing or art. It’s also when students of all ages might need some dedicated educational activities to prevent summer …
The words cord and chord are pronounced exactly the same and only differ by a single letter. However, they have completely different meanings. In this article, we will break down the most common meanings of cord and chord, briefly explain how they have a shared history, provide a quick tip to remember the difference between them, and provide examples that show how we typically use …